1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of instructional kits combining books with corresponding sound recordings for teaching reading skills, and more specifically to a combined book and cassette tape cartridge and a player base assembly for receiving the book and tape cartridge, the cartridge including a mounting platform attached to the book back cover and a cassette tape relating to the contents of the book secured within an edge of the mounting platform, and the player base assembly including a housing having a top recessed area for receiving the mounting platform so that the book is positioned for use, a mechanism for removably engaging the mounting platform to anchor the cartridge to the base assembly, a cassette tape player secured within the housing having its spindles and capstan extending into the recessed area to receive the cassette tape when the platform is inserted into the recessed area and the playing head oriented to engage the tape when the player is operated, the tape player speaker being mounted inside the housing adjacent sound release portals in the housing wall, and sliding shafts extending into the housing for operating tape player controls, so that the user can play the tape while following the book text from page to page, and such that any of several such book and tape cartridges can be inserted into the base assembly to provide variety and selection in reading material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been written texts sold in combination with sound recordings for teaching reading skills and foreign language pronunciation. In many such combination kits the sound recording, typically a cassette tape or phonograph record, and text are provided together but are separable. One of the two might be lost, leaving the remaining book or sound recording portion essentially useless. If several such combination kits are purchased, the books and sound recordings can easily become mixed up with each other. In some kits the sound recording and playing device are both permanently attached to or integrated into the particular book. As a result, another playing device has to be purchased each time a different book is desired, forcing a wasteful and expensive duplication of equipment.
Paige, U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,684, issued on Feb. 15, 1972, teaches a talking book including a housing having the appearance of a book, and containing an audio tape player and replaceable text pages. A variety of different text pages and corresponding tapes can be inserted. A problem with Paige is that a conventional book cannot be readily adapted for use. Special insertable pages must be prepared. A child does not gain familiarity with conventional books, but only with the special housing unit. Another problem is that the tapes and text pages can be mixed up or lost, as mentioned above. Another problem is that the pages and tape must be inserted separately, so that changing the reading material is inconvenient.
Kallmann, U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,342, issued on May 10, 1960, discloses a talking book and tape player apparatus where the book has a magnetic sound track on each page. The player is placed against the page over the sound track and a playing head within the apparatus scans along the track. A problem with Kallmann is that the sound track on the page is necessarily so short that only a few seconds of sound can be reproduced. This would rarely be sufficient to reproduce all the words on a full printed page. Another problem is that the apparatus must be positioned on each and every page, making it laborious to use.
Chatlien, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,852, issued on Feb. 26, 1980, reveals a method of teaching reading. The student follows the words in a book while the same words are being audibly reproduced, and writes words or statements as directed by audible instructions. A problem with Chatlien is that the text and magnetic tape can become separated, lost or mixed up with other such texts or tapes. The added step of writing is of questionable value and does nothing to solve this problem.
Sendor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,355, issued on Jan. 11, 1977, teaches a book binder containing sheets of reading material and a thick panel having recesses for retaining related cassette tapes. Additional recesses are optionally provided for projector slides. Schwartz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,141, issued on Mar. 31, 1970, discloses a book binder much like that of Sendor. Schwartz has a thick cover with tape receiving recesses, tape spool locking projections, and ribbons for popping the tapes out of the recesses. DeGroot, U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,729, issued on Jun. 8, 1971, discloses a book binder containing a central audio storage case with text pages clipped on either side of the storage case. One or two tape receiving recesses are provided in the faces of the storage case. A problem with Sendor, Schwartz and DeGroot is that the tapes can become separated from the binder or case and lost, or mixed up with other cassette tapes.
Brefka, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,881, issued on Jan. 13, 1987, discloses a talking book in the form of a notebook in which text pages can be removably inserted. Mounted inside the cover of the notebook is a tape player and infrared detection device for sensing the turning of pages. The turning of a page activates a switch and logic circuitry causing the tape player to recite information relating to the written content of the open page. A problem with Brefka is that a conventional book cannot be readily adapted for use with the device. Children using Brefka would not gain hands-on familiarity with an ordinary book. Also, a tape corresponding to the particular text must be separately inserted. This not only adds a step when changing the text, but permits separation and loss of text or tape. The logic circuitry also makes Brefka relatively complex and prone to failure.
DeSmet, U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,974, issued on Dec. 5, 1989, reveals an interactive talking book and audio player assembly. The book includes a read-only memory chip, or ROM, attached at its margin and containing audio information relating to the contents of the book in binary form. The ROM has elements which fit into a player, which may include a microprocessor and which audibly reproduces the contents of the ROM. A problem with DeSmet is that it is complex and thus more failure prone. Another problem is the vocal sound quality of a ROM and microprocessor are typically poor compared with magnetic tape or other more conventional sound storage media.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a talking book apparatus which permanently joins a written text with a corresponding sound recording so that they cannot become separated and mixed up with other texts and recordings.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus in which the text takes the form of a conventional book so that children using the apparatus gain familiarity and comfort with, and an interest in books.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which gives the high quality sound reproduction of magnetic tape, and of sufficient duration to recite all words in the text.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which can be easily used and inexpensively manufactured.